Big Obsession with Tiny Prints

Have you ever checked out Tiny Prints? For the price of many store-bought cards, you can make modern, personalized greeting cards, invites & more.

I remember stumbling across the site back when I was planning my wedding because they are affiliated with Wedding Paper Divas, but just recently I came back to the Tiny Prints site and have been so impress with the quality and creative options available.

Our first set was for Father's Day, both for first time daddy and the grand-dads:

Grandpa L's Front:

Grandpa L's Inside:

Grandpa C's Front:

Grandpa C's Inside:

Daddy's Front:

Daddy's Inside:

And then they had some great options for my husband's birthday, as well:

Daddy Front:

Daddy Inside:

Dave Front:

Dave Inside:

They even let you personalize the back with a tiny little photo and phrase:

Once you create your cards, you can either send the card to yourself if you are going to give it to the recipient in person, or you can have them send it directly to your recipient. For me, it's more convenient than picking one up at the store, addressing it, finding or buying a stamp and stopping by a post office myself. Each of these designs was just $3.99 and well worth the extra touch!

I blame this dress...

...for inspiring a crazy woman to start cataloging ideas for Claire's 1st Birthday already.

And yes, if you are keeping track, she turns just 3 months old this week :-)

And yes, the crazy woman is me.

Isn't it adorable though? It was a great deal today on zulily.

For the record, I do not want this year to rush by whatsoever. In fact, I wish I could press pause and freeze time with her with each passing day, but you never know when & where inspiration will strike and today there was no denying it. The colors, patterns and textures from the dress are perfect for a future Claire Celebration.

So if you are interested in my proactive party-planning ideas, check them out on this pinterest board. And if you have any ideas that fit the vibe, please share! I have nothing but 9 more months of time.

Snowbird Nesting

I took advantage of my first adult "snow day" and went into total nesting mode.

I'm on my fourth load of baby laundry, and as soon as the Internet started working again I also set out to search online for some finishing touches for the nursery.

We were in need of some throw pillows to coordinate with our color scheme that will line the West Elm Daybed in the room. I came across some great, brightly colored options at Urban Outfitters that fit the bill quite nicely:

I chose two of each of the pillows in the photo above: a. Hand Quilted Velvet Pillow in Orange, b. Round Pintuck Pillow in Yellow, c. Velvet Ruffle Pillow in Green and d. Hand Quilted Velvet Pillow in Turquoise.

And of course, I rarely like to pay retail price so I searched for a promo code. Right now if you spend $75 you get $15 off using promo code: "LOVEIT". Also, I got free shipping since my order was over $150. LOVE IT!

West Elm Sale

I thought I would share a great sale going on at west elm.

New items were just added this week to the sale, including the white overlapping-squares daybed we have been holding out for. So I added it to the shopping cart as soon as I saw that it was $110 less!

To make it even better, they are currently offering an additional EXTRA 20% off any sale item using promo code: 20MORE

So we ordered our daybed, and we went with just the frame and plan to order a cheaper mattress from overstock.com to avoid hefty shipping charges.

Regular Price: $459
Sale Price: $349.99
Additional 20% off Price: -$70.00, $279.99

Total Savings of: 179.01 (before shipping or tax) :-)

Hopefully someone else can put this promo code to good use.

The Limited: Red Hot Sale, Super Cute Dresses

With so many summer weddings, parties and trips on the horizon, it's a good time to stock up on affordable dresses for such occasions. And I'm such a sucker for email marketing that I could resist clicking on this email from The Limited this morning...up to 70% off? Yes, please.

So I snagged FOUR fab dresses for a grand total of $149.20, that is $37.30 each including tax & shipping.

{One Shoulder Knit Dress}

Was: $59.50, now $34.99

{Pintucked Halter Dress in Ballgown Blue}

Was: $59.50, now $34.99

{Darling Ruffle Dress}

Was: $69.50, now $39.99

{Printed Flower Dress}

Was: $69.50, now $39.99

I also used promo code "405" for an extra 15% off the already reduced sale prices.

Success!

Rug: Take Two

Thanks to those of you who gave their opinion on the rug I found last week on overstock. Due to the positive feedback I almost went for it, until I found this rug instead...

...and it ended up being the winner! I thought the colors would allow us more flexibility for future decor, instead of sticking to mostly warm colors like in the other rug. I bought it in a 6X6 square, instead of a 4X6 rectangle, so I'll let you know what it looks like in our place once it arrives.

Fossil Felicity: Like Orla, but Less!

I recently came across the Fossil Felicity handbag collection and it reminds me very much of Orla Kiely's collection, but for a whole lot less dough.

Both handbag collections are made of printed, laminated canvas and both feature bold, mod floral patterns. So without further ado, here they are for your viewing pleasure and critical comparison:

{Fossil Felicity Shopper Yellow Multi - $58 at Macy's}

{Orla Kiely Multi Scribble Stem Shoulder Bag - $168 @ Piperlime}

I actually prefer this original Orla Kiely "stems" pattern, but it's hard to find for sale now:

So what do you think? No, the Fossil bag doesn't have the broad recognition that Orla Kiely's "stems" pattern has and the bag's shape & structure may lack a bit of the same sophistication, but for 1/3 of the price I think it's a steal. In fact, I just ordered the Fossil Felicity Shopper in Yellow online.

If you are set on ordering a Fossil bag now too, there is good news! Right now at Macy's you can get FREE shipping with an eligible $50 juniors purchase (Fossil counts!) using promo code: HOTFREE (expires: June 6, 2010). And if you still like the Orla Kiely better, and have the extra cash, the deal on Piperlime isn't bad either.

Happy online shopping :-)

Pretty Polka Dotted Thumbtacks

I'm a little too enamored with these lovely polka dot thumbtacks I spotted at Paper Source.

{Fabric Thumbtacks in Forest Mushrooms -- $8.95 for a Pack of 25}

I just love the pattern and the grey & orange hues. They are perfect for a vintage frame I snagged, repainted and planned to make into a cork message board for the kitchen. I think I'll stop by and see if they are at my local store this weekend.

A Few Springtime Delights

I was doing some online window shopping last night and came across a variety of cute spring things that I definitely don't need, but thought were fun & shareworthy none-the-less. Here are my finds:

Bird Napkins Rings from Zgallerie -- Set of 4 for $19.80

Farmer's Egg Crate (in Sky) from Anthropologie -- $14.00

Marimekko ® Kimara Tablecloth from Crate & Barrel -- $39.95 - $109.00 depending on size

tweet bird feeder from cb2 -- $29.95

Enjoy!

A Vintage Library Card Catalog: Part One

Library Card Catalogs have been popping up in a plethora of blog postings over the last year and it makes me uber-envious each and every time I see one. Check out some of the posts I am referencing here, there, and everywhere. This one posted on Small Notebook (pictured below) has been my ultimate inspiration pic:

I finally decided I had to have one and set out on an epic journey to make one mine. Here's a little tale about online searching, online bidding and finally online auction winning!

After spending a month or two scouring Craigslist for a suitable, card catalog from a local seller and coming up short (and after being offered to partake in a few too many pyramid schemes), I decided to hop on over to eBay and see if anyone in Illinois or a bordering state was listing anything interesting.

At first I was discouraged that everything I found was either $1000 or 5 states away, but then it happened. I found one listed a few hours south of me for a starting bid of just $50! I spent my weekend attached to my iPhone tracking a back & forth bidding war (in between March Madness games), for this 72-drawer gem.

I went to bed dreaming of the mini u-haul I would rent for my mini road trip to go pick up my vintage treasure. But my bubble burst when I realized another bidder or two also had the same goal in mind. Thus, my max bid slowly crept up to $316 just to ensure I'd walk away a winner. It seemed to work and it was staying well under $300 until this afternoon. Tonight as the auction closed I was still winning it at $301 until, the final seconds. I watched the countdown: 3 sec , 2 sec, 1 sec and then... I lost! And lost big. Somehow the price jacked up to $540 in the final second. I was upset, but I also felt better that I hadn't lost by just a few dollars and that it truly sold for a dollar amount that I was not willing to pay.

So then I did what any grown woman would do. I sulked at my desk for a minute, turned my frown upside down, and took a gander at the "similar items" eBay suggested as my consolation prize.

And there it was. Another library card catalog that never came up in my own searches because they named it a "Library File Card Cabinet". p.s. eBay, you really need to work on your taxonomy/search vocabulary because I found this to be a frequent problem, but I digress...

To top it off this new one had a "Buy it Now" option of just $300 AND a "Make an Offer" option that I was very excited to try out. Before I left work for the night, I took a shot at offering $200 for this 60-drawer solid oak beacon of hope and left knowing the seller had 48 hours to accept or decline my offer.

Low and behold, just two hours later...IT WAS ALL MINE! And for much less than the one that got away just a few hours ago. Moral of the story...everything happens for a reason!

Stay tuned for "A Vintage Card Catalog: Part Two" where I will hopefully chronicle my road trip to pick up my winnings (with photos) and "Part Three" where I fix it up to display it proudly in our loft :-)

Lovin' Liberty of London for Target

I am lovin' the new Liberty of London line at Target! It was released this weekend, but of course by the time I went to my local Target on Sunday it was already terribly picked over and my favorite dress from the TV commercial was nowhere in sight. That dress would be the one below, which I went home and immediately ordered online.

The Liberty of London for Target® Ruffle Halter Dress in Multi Color Sixty Print

I thought it would be the perfect dress to wear in Mexico in a few months...

Since I'm also a BIG FAN of peacock print and the rich teal-blue color I also ordered the number below. The Liberty of London for Target® Halter Maxi Dress in Turquoise Isis Print

I thought this would be a nice evening dress to wear to dinner at the resort.

I could really go crazy with all of the great patterns found adorning the abundance of cute home decor, bedding, dining, bicycles and little girls' clothing items they have online. I particularly like a few home items, like these and this and this, but I did use some self-control and haven't made a purchase outside of the apparel realm (yet).

The girls' clothes were too adorable to pass up though, so I also ordered these two items early for our niece's 3rd birthday in May...

The Toddler Girls' Liberty of London for Target® Mark Romper in Pink

And the Toddler Girls' Liberty of London for Target® Swimsuit in Pink

Good thing I don't have a girl of my own yet or I would have to get more closets!

If you are curious, you can even find your "patternality" here on Facebook. I just found out that mine is "Maddsie Green"...

There is one caveat to this vibrant collection. Just as I believed with last year's Orla Kiely collection, less is more when it comes these trendy patterns. However, being that the entire Liberty of London collection is almost sold out online and hard to come by in stores, getting your hands on enough to "over-do-it" in your home or wardrobe is virtually impossible :-) So check it out online and grab a piece of the collection while you still can!

I've got sunshine, on a snowy day.

After a snowy, slushy walk home from work tonight, I curled up to read my new issue of Real Simple magazine. I didn't make it past the first page, when I was smacked in the face by a Target ad featuring this "frugalista find"... a cute white & yellow striped springtime trench.

Merona® Women's Striped Long Trench Coat - $39.99

Immediately to my online shopping cart it went!

I got sidetracked from my magazine at that point, and started snooping around and found these bright, shiny rainboots. My trouble trying to fit into those pricey Hunter boots has been well-documented over the last year (here, here, here and here), but none fit. So for almost 1/6 of the price, I think I'll try to fit these cute little boots over my calves.

Women's Zetta Solid Rainboots - $19.99

And while I'm on my yellow kick...

This summer vacation will be spent with Dave's family at the lake, so I'll need a modest yet flattering swimsuit to wear around the in-laws. It might look a little matronly at first, but I like the throw-back vibe.

Merona® Women's Bandeau Shirred One-Piece Yellow - $34.99

Plus, I think the model is missing a few of the necessary curves, or outright thickness needed to make this style look right. No worries here though ;-)

So there you have it! My impulse dashes of yellow I will soon be adding to my wardrobe courtesy of Target and inspired by Real Simple. And all for under $100!

Hurry-up spring, I'm ready for you!

Paper Source Goodies

Yesterday, I ordered two little work goodies for myself online from Paper Source, and they are so snappy with their delivery that I had them on my doorstep today! I guess it doesn't hurt that I only live 3 miles from their headquarters :-)

First, was my new desk calendar, the 2010 Cavallini Easel "Italia" Calendar:

Too bad we are almost halfway through January, which features my favorite city we visited, Venice!

Next, I got a Blue Q stainless steel birds water bottle:

I drink water all-day, everyday at work BUT I always use a disposable plastic cup, so why not be a bit greener with this environmentally responsible and day-brightening birdie bottle? This also has two more great purposes...

1) It holds 20 oz. of water so I am making a goal for myself to drink four of these, or 80 oz. of water, a day at work now.

2) 1% of the sale went towards The Nature Conservancy, whose Illinois field office is just down the street from us and also a client of ours at work.

So in a small way with this online order, I just did my part to beautify my desk, my body and the planet :-)